The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 115 people were killed and 1,146 injured in road crashes in Gombe in 2022.

Felix Theman, the sector commander, said this in an interview in the Lafiyawo community, Akko council area, on Tuesday.

He said 377 road crashes involving 633 vehicles and 1,911 people were recorded in the state within the period under review, out of which 765 were unhurt.

Comparing the statistics of road crashes in 2022 with that of 2021, Mr Theman said there was a reduction in persons killed and road crashes recorded in the state.

He said in 2021, the total crashes were 438, involving 2,068 people and 542 vehicles, with 1,153 wounded and 117 killed.

The sector commander said there was a 13.9 per cent reduction in road crashes and a 1.7 per cent reduction in the death rate in 2022 compared to the preceding year.

Mr Theman expressed concern over the high casualties between December 15, 2022, and January 15, 2023, despite an awareness campaign on safe driving and deployment of surveillance and patrol teams.

“During Operation Zero, a period of one month between December 15 and January 15, 2023, 35 persons were killed from 59 crashes while 193 were injured; 315 persons and 93 vehicles were involved in the crashes, respectively,” the official stated. “In 2021 Operation Zero, 46 crashes were recorded, 19 persons were killed, 128 injured, 230 persons and 78 vehicles were involved in the crashes.”

Mr Theman said the road crashes were mainly due to wrongful overtaking, speeding, overloading, tyre burst and under-age drivers. He cautioned motorists in the state to be more patient and avoid hurrying while on the road.

The sector commander particularly appealed to motorists plying Gombe-Yola road to be mindful of their speed, as most of the traffic crashes in 2022 were recorded on that route.

“Motorists have a responsibility to drive safely and ensure the safety of their passengers, so drive for you to be alive,” he added, stressing that the FRSC had mapped out strategies to enforce compliance with road safety rules and regulations.

(NAN)